Bowling alley



H. K. HESS BOWLING ALLEY Jan. 3, 1933.

Filed March 15, 1952 2 Sheets-Sheet INVENTDR fw/ Vii/5 ATTBRNEYS Jan. 3,1933. .H. K. HESS 1,893,412

BOWLING ALLEY Filed March 15, 1932 2 Sheets$heet 2 I i l %2 a 2 z 2x 5WITNESS VL ATr RNEYS Patented Jan. 3, 1933 :7 r a V UNITED STATES PATENTGFFlOE HENRY K. HESS, or WOLCOTT, new Yonxg BOWLING ALLEY Applicationfiled March 15, 1932. Serial No. 598 958. 'llhis-inventionrelates tocertain improveallowing said underlying portion to yield ments inbowling alleys of the class set forth downwardly against the. action ofsuitable in my pending applications Serial No. 4895982 springsimmediately upon the engagement of filed October 20th,1930 and SerialNo. 544,555 the ball with the drum., Y

'5 filed June 15th, 1931 in which the ball is Other objects and useswill be brought out 55 thrown by hand from the proximal end along in thefollowing. description.

an upper runway and is returned from the In the drawings: r i

distal end by power driven means along a Figure 1 is'a top-plan of abowling alley 7 lower runway onto a pin-supporting platembodying thevariousfeatures of my 1nform at the proximal ends of both runwaysVention.v i V for displacing the pins so that the pins may Figure 2 is aside elevation of the same. a

be served from or near the players stand. Figure 3 is an enlargedtransverse. ver- While the construction shown and detical sectional viewtaken on line 3-3, Figscribed in my pending applications referred ure 1.

to is highlyeflicient for balls ofa certain di Figure 4 is an enlargedlongitudinal verameter or size, no adequate provision was ticalsectional view through. the distal end made therein for'balls of'widelyvarying diof the bowling alley taken on line ii-4i, Figamete-rs and oneof the objects of the presurel. ent invention is to enable the sameapparatus Figure 5 is an. enlarged transverse vertical 29 to be usedwith any of the standard size b'alls. Sectional view through theadjustable bear- 76 Another object is to provide means for relugs forthe drum shaft taken on line 5- 5, turning the balls from the distal endto the Figure 3. V i proximal end of the alley and onto the pin- Figure6 is an enlarged longitudinal ver: supporting platform-with greaterassurance, tical sectional view, similar to that shown in reliabilityand force than has heretofore been Figure hexceptthat it shows amodified con- 2'5 practiced irrespective of the forcew'ith whichstructioniof the yielding section of the floor the ball is thrownalongthe upper runway. of the lower runway. a g

It will be understood that when the ball is Figure v7 is an enlargedlongitudinal verdeflected downwardly from the distal end of ticalsectional view through the proximal the lower runway by the returndeflector aid- Figure 1.

ed by the weight of the ball, the latter ac- Figure 8 is an enlargedperspective view, quires a definite and appreciable momentum partly insection,- of a portion of the rotary as it enters the lower runway. 1ball-actuating drum showing more partic- One of the specific objects isto provide a ularly the manner of fastening the. cushion- 55 powerdriven, high speed rotary drum with ing tube to the periphery thereof.

resilient peripheral cushion arranged with Owing to the fact that thisbowling alley its lower side in the path of the upper side is of theself-service type in'which the/pins of the downwardly deflected ball insuch manare arranged upon a platform at the players nor that the ballwill automatically wedge itend of the alley and the ball is thrown along90 self between the drum and underlying poran upper runway and isautomatically retionof the return runway aided by its momenturned alongan overlying runway onto the tum and thereby'to allow the CllllD'llZOdrive pin-supporting platform for displacing the W the ball along saidreturn runway and onto pins, it is obvious that the alley maybe made thepin supporting platform with approxiof standard width but ofapproximately half matel the speed of travel of the periphery of thelength of the usual alley while the comthe drum. g bined lengths of theupper and lower run- Another ob ect is to further assure th s ways willbe approximately equal to that of wcdging of the ball between the drumand the standard alley thereby obtaining'the'full 00 the upper runwayonto the adjacent end of end of the bowling alley taken on line 7-7, 0 7v underlying portion of the return runway by run of the ballwithinsubstantially half the 0.

floor space occupied by the alley now in common use.

This bowling alley is designed to be made, sold and installed as aunitary article of manufacture and for this purpose consists of a mainsupporting frame having a bottom floor 1, a super-posed floor 2,opposite slde walls 3 and opposlte end walls and -5, all of which partsare preferably made of wood and rigidly secured to each other to form aunitary structure, but obviously may be made in longitudinal sectionsfor convenience of transportation and installation.

This frame is, of course, elongated in one direction to approximatelyhalf the length of the usual bowling alley and is provided at one endwith a players platform 6 and a pin-supporting platform 7, both of whichare rigidly secured to the adjacent or proximal end of the frame to forma unitary part thereof.

The bottom wall 1 is provided on its upper side with a runway 8extending the entire distance between the end walls 4 and 5 but having arelatively short portion of its distal end adapted to yield underpressure of the ball thereon.

This runway 8 is composed, as usual, of a multiplicity of strips,preferably of hard wood glued or otherwise secured edge to edge toproduce a smooth upper surface along which the ball is adapted to roll,said surface being slightly inclined from a horizontal plane toward theproximal end of the'alley to facilitate the return'rolling of the ballfrom the distal end toward the proximal end and onto the pin-supportingplatform 7 for displacing the pins therefrom.

The upper floor '2 serves to receive and support an additional runway 9which is composed of relatively narrow strips of hard wood, glued orotherwise secured together edge to edge, to form a smooth up per surfacewhich is preferably disposed in a horizontal plane and also extends themajor portion of the length of the alley between the pin-supportingplatform 7 and distal end wall 5.

It will be noted, however, that the proximal end of the upper floor -2and its runway 9 terminate some distance from the corresponding end wallel to form an inter-vein ing space 10 registering with the pinsupportingplatform for permitting the pins as a to be properly arranged upon saidplatform, in such manner that they are readily visible to the playerupon the platform 6. I r

The side walls 3 of the frame extend vertically above the horizontalplane of the upper surface of the upper runway 9 to form guard rails ll'for preventing the displacement of the ball from sa d runway when thrownupon the latter by the player from the platform 6, said guard railsbeing extended the entire distance between the platform 6- and distalend wall 5-.

The portions of the frame between the rails 11 and adjacent edges of theupper runway are provided with lengthwise grooves 2 to guide the ball incase it should leave the runway.

The end wall 4 of the frame extends from the bottom floor 1 upwardly tothe uppersurface of the platform -6 and is provided with an innersubstantially semicircular deflecting surface l2 facing the distal endof the alley and extending from the adjacent end of the lower runway 8 adistance above the upper surface of the pinsupporting platform 7somewhat greater than the diameter of the ball as B for defleeting theball returning along the lower runway 8 upwardly onto the platform fordisplacing the pins a therefrom, as shown more. clearly in Figure 7.

The distal end wall 5 is also provided with a substantiallysemi-circular inner deflecting surface 13,' facing the proximal end ofthe alley and extending from the bottom floor 1 upwardly a distanceabove the horizontal plane of the upper surface .of the upper runway -9somewhat greater than'the diameter of the ball B and in spaced relationto the distal end of the floor 2 and upper runway 9 for deflecting theball downwardly from the distal end of the upper runway downwardly ontothe lower runway.

The players platform 6 is disposed in a horizontal plane slightly abovethat of the upper runway 9 and closely adjacent the end wall 4 so thatthe player standing upon the platform 6 may throw the ball across theintervening pin space -10 and onto theproximal end of the upper runway$l so that the ball leaving the distal end of the upper runway will bedeflected by the concaved surface --l3 downwardly onto the adjacent endof the lower runway to be driven toward the proximal end by power drivenmeans, presently described.

The pin-supporting platform is mounted in the main supporting frame in ahorizontal plane a distance below the upper surface of the runway 9corresponding approximately to the height of the pins -a when arrangedin an upright position on saidplatform. the latter being also spaced adistance above the lower runway 8 somewhat greater than the diameter ofthe ball B to allow free travel of the latter along the lower runway andupwardly along the concave surface 12- onto the platform for displacingthe p ns therefrom.

The floor as 7 sup ortin the olatform P i. l

the upper runway 9 to form a pocket --14 and is connected to the upperfloor 12 by a partition -15 which serves as a buffer or limiting stopfor the ball B .md pins a which may be displaced from the platform a.,as shown more clearly Sui-table power driven means is provided fordriving the ball along the lower :or re turn runway 8 with sufficientforce and velocity to carry it up the deflecting surface 12 and uponthepin-supporting platform -7- for displacing the pins and for this purposea horizontal shaft 16is -extended transversely of the frame throughvertically elongated openings --17 in opposite sides thereof and has itsopposite ends journaled in suitable bearings 18 which are adjustablevertically in supporting standards 19 at the outer sides of andindependent of the frame to rest upon the fioor of the building in whichthe bowling alley is in: stalled, as shown in Figures 1, 2, 3 and 5.

Each of these standards -l9 is'provided with vertically elongatedopenings 20 at opposite sides of the adjacent bearing 18 for receivingthreaded bolts or screws 21 having their inner ends engaged withopposite sides of the bearing 18 and held in their adjusted position bylock nuts -22.

Each of the standards 19 is also provided with vertically spaced crossbars "23 and -23 arranged in vertically spaced relation below and abovethe shaft 16 and is provided with threaded openings -'24 for receivingvertical adjusting screws 25 and 25 which a-re'engaged with the lowerand upper faces of the adjacent bearing 18, as shown more clearly inFigure 5, said screws being held in their adjusted position by lock nuts26.

The shaft 16 is located between the distal ends of the lower and upperrunways S and '9 in spaced relation thereto and constitutes a part ofarotary-dru-m 27 which is composed of opposite half sections -2S of woodor equivalent material secured together around the shaft and concentrictherewith by bolts or screws 29, as shown more clearly in Figures 3, 4,6 and 8, aided by a key -30- which is seated in a keyway 31 in the shaftas shown in Figure 8.

This drum extends from side to side of the main supporting frame orentirely across the upper surface of the lower runway 8 and is providedwith a resilient peripheral cushion 32 consisting in this instance of arubber hose through which is threaded a wire 33, said hose with the wiretherein being wound spirally around the periphery of the drum sections2S withtheir helicesin abutting relation and their opposite ends rigidlysecured to the periphery of the sections 28 by staples 34 or equivalentfastening means. I V

The wire'33'- passing through the tubular cushion -32 is of'soinewhatsmaller diameter than that o f'the interior of the tube so as to :allowfull resiliency of the tube, the wire serving to hold the .tube againstundue displacement from the sections 28- by centrifugal force and alsoaiding in keeping the helices of the tube in pro-per relation to eachother.

One end of the shaft 16 is provided witha pulley 35 which is connectedby a belt 36'- to another pulley -37 on one end of the shaft of anelectric motor 38 to which latter current may be supplied from anyavailable source of electricity,-as for example, through'the medium ofthe usual electric plug andsocket,.not shown.

The purpose of the adjusting screws '21- in the drum-supportingstandards 19 is to permit said shaft and drum to be adjusted to aposition at right angles, to the longitudinal centers of the lower andupper r un- 1 ways -8 and 9, for properly directing the ball.

The object of the vertical adjusting screws and 25 is to permit theshaft -l6 and drum 27-' to be adjusted to a L position parallel with theupper surfaces of the lower and upper runways 8and and also to permitthe shaft and drumto be adjusted vertically relatively to the lowerrunway as may be required to operate upon balls of different standarddiameters, the ball illustrated in the drawings being of the largestsize commonly used, and, therefore, the

drum 27 is shown as adjusted to its maximum height above theupper faceofthe lower runway 8 to allow the larger ball to wedge between theperiphery of the elastic cushion -'32 and underlying portion of thelower runway, as shown more clearly in Figures 4; and 6. p

In order to assure this w-edging action of the ball between the lowerside of the drum 27 and underlying portions of the lower runway 8-, thelatter is provided with a relatively short yielding section 8 which 3 isarranged directly under the drum 27 to extend the full length thereofand is normally disposed with its upper face a distance below the'lowerface of the drum slightly less than the diameter of the ball i As shownin F gure 4, the distal end of the yielding sectlon '8" 1S hinged at 39to the end wall 5 with its upper face substantially coincident with thelower portion 7 of the curved deflecting surface-13-, the

opposite end of said section being yieldingly supported by one or morecoil sprin +4a as shown more clearly inFigures 8 and at.

In Figure 6,1 have shown a modified means of supporting the yieldingsection'-8 in i if u while the opposite end is hinged at 39 to thedistal end of the lower floor l and corresponding runway -8, the distalend. of the section -8 being adapted to engage a stop for limiting itsupward movement by the springs l0-.

It is now clearthat when the ball leaves the distal end of the upperrunway -9- and is deflected downwardly. by the adjacent curved surface13- on the end walls 5 aided by its own gravity and momentum, will wedgein between the lower face of the resilient cushion and upper face of theyielding platform 8 or 8 whereby the continuous rotating drum will causethe ball -B to he driven along tl-e lower runway 8 toward the proximalend of the alloy with suiiicient force to carry it up the curveddeflecting surface -12- and onto the pin-supporting platform -7 fordisplacing the pins -a as indicated more clearly in Figure 7 it beingunderstood that the shaft 16 and drum 27. will be driven at high speedby the electric motor -3S through the medium of the belt 36.

The pins a*will be arranged upon the platform 7 in the usual order shownby the spots 7- thereon in Figure 1 so that all of the )ins will beclearl visible to the player standing upon the platform 6 which isprovided at one side with racl-I 3 having a series of holes 44. for receiving the pins when not in use.

Operation The player standing upon the platform 6 visually selects theparticular pin or pins which it is desired to displace from the assemblyon the platform 7 and then throws the ball in line with the selected pinor pins across the upper ends of the assembled pins and onto the upperrunway 9 along which it rolls beyond the distal end thereof and intoengagement with the curved deflect ing surface l3 of the end wall whereit is deflected downwardly onto the yielding section 8' of the lowerrunway 8 to wedge against the lower face of the cushioned periphery ofthe drum 27- which is then rotating at high speed in the directionindicated by arrow X, Figures 4 and 6.

Immediately upon the wedging contact of the ball B with the yieldingcushion -32 of the drum and the section 8 or 9, the frictional ontactbetween the cushion 3i2 and the periphery of the ball will cause aslight depression of the yielding section 8 or 8- against the action ofthe springs 40 or l0, thus permitting the frictional contact of theyielding cushion 32 withthe drum to drive the ball along the lowerrunway with suflicient force to carry it upwardly along the curveddeflecting surface '12 of the proximal end wall 4 and onto thepin-supporting platform 7 for displacing the pins with the assurancethat the ball will strike the proselected pin or pins providing the ballis directed along the upper runway in alinement with said preselectedpin or pins so that the play will depend upon the ability of the playorto cause the ball to travel along the upper runway in alinement withsaid preselected pin or pins in which case the action of the drum uponthe ball'will affect the displacement of the preselected pin or pins.

One of the advantages of this particular construction is that the pinsupon the platform are clearly visible to the player by reason ofthe factthat they are directly in front of the players stand and, therefore,easily visible so that the expert player may select the particular pinor pins to be displaced and direct the ball along the upper runway inline with said preselected pin or pins.

A further advantage is that the distance between the player and distalend of the up per runway is relatively short or half the length of theusual alley so that he may more easily determine the accuracy of hisplay when the ball leaves the upper runway with the assurance that whenthe ball comes in contact with the drum it will be returned along thelower runway and onto the pin-supporting platform in the same line withwhich is was propelled along the upper runway or in line with the pointof the distal end of the upper runway at which the ball leaves thelatter. 7

In other words by making the upper and lower runways relatively short orapproximately half the length of the usual runway permits greateraccuracy in the plays accord ing to the skill of the player with lessliability of wavering of the ball from the directed course as isfrequently the case in the longer or usual runways.

This accuracy is greatly facilitated by reason of the resilient cushionon the periphery of the drum and the yielding underlying section of thelower runway which renders the wedging of the ball between the lowerside of the drum and yielding section and resultant return drive of theball by the druminore positive than would be otherwise possible.

It will also be noted that the ball may be caused to move at arelatively slow rate of speed along the upper runway with the assurancethat when it is dischar ed therefrom it will be brought into immediatecontact with the periphery ofthe drum to be returned thereby withconsiderable force and velocity along the lower runway.

The construction and operation described is particularly simple,practical and highly efficient, but obviously various changes may hand,and a lower runway underlying the upper runway along which the ball isreturned, means for deflecting the ball from the distal end of the upperrunway onto the adjacent end of the lower runway, in combination withpower driven means between the distal ends of the lower and upperrunways for propelling the ball along the lower runway, a pin-supportingplatform at the proximal end of said runways, and means for deflectingthe ball from the proximal end of the lower runway onto thepin-supporting platform for displacing the pins, said lower runwayhaving a portion thereof directly under the propelling means adapted toyield under pressure of the ball when the latter is engaged by thepropelling means to assure the propulsion of the ball by said propellingmeans.

2. In a bowling alley of the character described, a runway for the ballhaving a yielding section, and a rotary power-driven drum directly oversaid section for engaging the ball and thereby depressing the yieldingsection to allow the ball to be driven along the runway by the drum.

3. In a bowling alley of the character described, a runway for the ballhaving a yielding portion, and a power-driven rotary drum in opposedspaced relation to the yielding portion of the runway to allow the ballto wedge between the drum and yielding portion and to be propelled alongthe runway by the drum.

4. In a bowling alley of the character described, a runway for the ball,a power-driven rotary drum above a portion of the runway in spacedrelation thereto, a normal distance v slightly less than the diameter ofthe ball for engaging said ball, said portion of the runway beingyielding to allow the ball to depress the same when the ball is engagedby the drum and thereby to permit the drum to drive the ball along therunway.

5. A bowling alley as in claim 2 in which the drum is provided with aresilient peripheral cushion adapted to frictionally engage the ball.

6. A bowling alley as in claim 2 in which the drum is provided with aperipheral elastic tube spirally wound thereon and secured thereto forfrictionally engaging and driving the ball.

7. A bowling alley as in claim 2 in which the yielding section of therunway is hinged at one end and has its other end springpressed towardthe drum.

8. A bowling alley as in claim 2 in which means is provided foradjusting the drum toward and from the yielding section of the runway. I

9. In a bowling alley of the character described, a runway for the ball,a power-driven rotary drum above the runway for engaging and driving theball along said runway, and

means for adjusting the drum toward and from the runway to operate uponballs of different diameters.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this 14th day of March1932.

HENRY K. HESS.

